Experimental optical properties explained by density functional theory of the natural red algae for dye-sensitized solar cells application

The present study investigates the usage of a novel natural dye derived from red algae of Morocco in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) for the first time. The main pigments responsible for sensitizing the semiconductor TiO₂ coatings in the red algae were identified as phycoerythrin, carotenoid, and chlorophyll. The efficiency of a DSSC made from red algae was compared to that of a solar cell made from chlorophyll alone. The photovoltaic performance of the DSSC was evaluated through photocurrent density to photovoltage (J-V) characteristic analysis, and the efficiency was found to be 0.93%. To gain insights into its behavior, the absorbance and photoluminescence in a broad range were studied. Both absorbance and photoluminescence exhibited a broad-spectrum range. Additionally, electronic properties, such as HOMO, LUMO, energy gap, and chemical reactivity parameters, were studied using density functional theory (DFT) calculations.